Paid to the Billionaire.

was no

iancé’s funeral. The crying of the people was a

till cherished by her ring finger—the sam

handkerchief wet. The handkerchief was the very first gift

It was from Daphne, her brunette co-teacher who

ars to Derrick. It was very genuine to the point that she chose to wait for Derr

ince she’d been carrying he

ick was always the person who wants to be prepa

now laid in the casket, in the coffin. So was Minerv

lanning to apply for work as soon as she gave birth when the news of Der

happens to be working as a nurse in the local h

e Derrick even a slight chance to live—not even a chance to say his final goodby

robably because midnight is nearing and most of them have

in the eyes of Minerva as she was the sole pe

he last time she can step foot to this simple house as it was already sold just a week ago. They’ve planned to use the mon

he caretaker of the house showed up, signalling her time to d

*

she opened her eyes—so

t is very complicated. Especially to her as

s beaming light. She looked to her left and the pink sticky note that she tacked on the calendar

n hand could probably not even buy bread and butter. Without any choice, she ph

her side and the voice of

for your check u

est friend nicknamed her after the famou

efore responding to Marie

the home service of one of my patients as of now but I can

d since she was a grade-schooler. It’s seven in the morning. Per

just have my

innie! By

As silent as the morning, if not for her stomach’s r

at’s no less than a few steps from h

*

a was

er bath would be a wa

body was definitely drenched in her own t

as she bathed herself, bathe their selves. Or is it just because she was pregnant?

ears. The more she soaked in the shower, the more her

om that even her little circular mirror was sh

green bath towel. Her eyes caught what seemed to be falling from the

call total misfortune. She only has one thick jacket left for the first day of winter. Two

ppointment from her ob-gyn. At least her ob-gyn was the sister of her mo

st in that way, her mother, who now has another family, still manages t

zing up to its brim. She still has a mother that has still a

g when Mariella called her. She seized a glass of lukewarm

ered then shove the remaining fried eg

rther, three knocks interr

Ella…’ Minerva

rva was flabbergasted. It was n

s her

to be my beautiful sister-in-law. I already phoned Mariella

d that she was still chewing her French toast and egg—the only breakfa

her mother—were now driving towards the

*

e felt like puking on the very floor of the el

was absolutely no problem. It’s about t

price of yo

at her from head to toe b

y stepped in the hospital to the time that her check-up was finished, her mother’s mo

hroat before speaking

s soon as I find a new job. I resigned from the hi

he pussy between your legs to a man named Derrick?” Her mother’s voic

as entirely insulted by that tone, by her words. She said there was no price in helping her during h

the fact that her words somehow resonates verity, that there is actually truth in her words. Her mother left her for a

f with Derrick, who happens to be six feet below the ground now. A

someone, even if you love the person more than you do to your

her own gold-digger mother who left her own fa

d shared. That was wholly awful, unlawful, and definitely inhumane. That is also the reason why Minerva chose to stay with her father aside fro

elevator opened, signalling the arrival to t

ned on resigning beforehand. Besides, me

t is also the reason why she addresses her in her own name rather than calling her a mother. A mother is such an h

of her eye, she spotted the man that she had always

r’s husband—Rhea’